The event, to be held in Ijaiye, Akinyele Local Government Area, will be headlined by Vice President Kashim Shettima, AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, and Oyo State Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde. The launch will mark the third SAPZ groundbreaking in 2025 under Phase I of Nigeria’s SAPZ Programme, and the first in the southwest region.
The SAPZ initiative, a core pillar of the Bank’s Feed Africa strategy, is designed to transform rural economies through agro-industrialisation, attract private sector investments, and enhance market access.
Oyo’s SAPZ is strategically located 29 km from Ibadan, near critical infrastructure including the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Railway Station and the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, which is being upgraded into a cargo terminal. The 300-hectare zone will focus on value chains such as cassava, maize, poultry, soybeans, and horticulture.
"Oyo’s agricultural potential and proximity to Lagos make it a natural hub for agro-industrial growth," an AfDB official said, noting that over 90% of the state’s 28,454 sq. km landmass is arable.
This Oyo hub follows earlier launches in Kaduna and Cross River States and forms part of a broader Phase I programme covering seven states and the FCT, with $538 million in financing from AfDB, the Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, and Nigerian government contributions.
Additionally, Oyo is developing a 2,800-hectare agribusiness park in Eruwa, including an Agricultural Transformation Centre to support smallholder farmers and youth agripreneurs. Both the Ijaiye and Eruwa projects are backed by $37 million from AfDB.
The SAPZ model is intended to catalyse inclusive, export-oriented agro-industrial growth. Under Phase II, 24 more states will be onboarded, with $2.2 billion in investor interest already recorded at the Africa Investment Forum 2024.
Officials say the Oyo launch reflects growing momentum for regional agro-industrial development and Nigeria’s broader drive toward food security, job creation, and rural transformation.
